Taliban add chess to list of things banned in Afghanistan

Taliban say chess in Sharia or Islamic law is considered ‘a means of gambling’

Monday 12 May 2025 12:44 BST

Related: Taliban fail to appoint any women in all male, all Taliban government

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The Taliban has added chess to the long list of things banned in Afghanistan over its possible violation of Islamic law.

Taliban officials said the game has been prohibited indefinitely until the country's sports department can determine its compatibility with Islamic law.

Atal Mashwani, spokesperson for the Taliban's Sports Directorate, told TOLO News that chess has been suspended "due to leadership issues within the national chess federation and religious concerns surrounding the game".

He said chess in Sharia or Islamic law is considered "a means of gambling", which has been prohibited under the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law.

The Taliban, a hardline Islamist group that previously ruled Afghanistan, has imposed a series of restrictions on sports and other cultural events since returning to power in 2021 after the US and British forces withdrew troops from the South Asian country.

The Islamists have been particularly brutal towards women, blocking them from the workplace, education and public spaces, as well as barring them from taking part in all sports. Women in Afghanistan are currently prohibited from going to a salon, working out at the gym, and even speaking or praying in public.

"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess. Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he told AFP news agency.

Mr Mashwani said the chess federation had not held any official events for two years and had "issues" on the leadership level.

A decision regarding the resumption of chess will be undertaken after completion of religious evaluations and leadership disputes within the federation, he added.

Taliban has already imposed a ban on free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, claiming it to be too "violent" and "problematic with respect to Sharia" law.